06 June 2007

The typical convent life for a nun is pretty plain and simple. But the 23 nuns of the Salesian Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province in San Antonio have something else in their lives to concentrate on: The San Antonio Spurs. The nuns have embraced the team, even pinning the players' names to white smocks. The sisters loyally and loudly gather together to watch each game

"We pray for them to win, but we also pray for them to continue their sportsmanship," said Sister Sandra Neaves, head of the order in the Western U.S."We make a lot of noise in that room," laughs Sister Angelina Gomez.

The Spurs have embraced the nuns as well. Hoping to get on God's good side, they've given four tickets to the nuns for tonight's opening game of the NBA Finals.The sisters have been inspired by the Spurs, and the loss of one particular sister only brings them closer to the team. Sister FilomenaConte was the biggest Spurs fan of the bunch. She watched or listened to every game, and even had correspondence with coach Gregg Popovich.

Even as Conte suffered from a congestive heart condition and was ordered to bedduring the regular season, she lay listening to the games on the radio. When shewas ordered to a hospital, she had one question as she waited with anothersister: "Am I going to have a room before the game starts?"

While Conte died in March, the sisters are convinced that she'll be behind a Spurs championship.

And as for the big question - is God really rooting for the Spurs?

"Yeah!" Gomez said, laughing and clutching her hands in the dining room where agiant Spurs blanket hangs like a banner. Neaves is more diplomatic: "I don't know if God has a favorite team ... but when people try to do it right, you really like them to succeed."

That's right Lebron. You may be "The King," but the Spurs are being propelled by a higher power.